Masoud Pezeshkian will travel to Turkmenistan in the coming days. This trip takes place while the city of Avaza is hosting several important regional meetings that include discussions on security, energy, transportation, and the environment.
Important Meetings in Avaza
The President of Iran will attend the summit of the heads of state of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) as a special guest and speaker. This summit is particularly significant in 2026 when Turkmenistan will hold the rotating presidency of this organization. The CIS Heads of State Council meeting is scheduled for October 9, and the Central Asian and Azerbaijan Heads of State meeting is planned for October 8 in Avaza.
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This timing makes Avaza a focal point of regional diplomacy. Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan will address issues that are directly related to Iran's interests in these meetings. These meetings provide an opportunity for Iran to present its positions to neighboring countries and Eurasian partners.
Opportunities for Cooperation in Various Fields
Pezeshkian's presence at this summit should not be viewed merely as a diplomatic formality. Iran has had extensive political, economic, and transit relations with the structures and countries of this group for many years. The invitation to the President of Iran to speak at the leaders' level is an opportunity for Tehran to discuss its position in regional arrangements and new avenues for cooperation.
In this context, the development of the North-South corridor and the capacity of Iran's southern ports, especially in the energy sector, could be topics raised at this meeting. Additionally, Iran's rail connections with Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan will be part of this cooperation. These issues have also been mentioned in Turkmenistan's official documents as the main topics of the Avaza meetings.
Pezeshkian's trip to Turkmenistan also indicates that the neighborhood policy and the look to the East are not pursued solely through bilateral meetings but can also be followed up through regional multilateral mechanisms. Topics such as transit, energy, regional security, and the environment hold special importance in these meetings.
The agenda of the Central Asian and Azerbaijan Heads of State meeting includes security and stability, political relations, trade and economy, energy and transportation, the environment and climate change, and cultural and scientific cooperation. For Iran, this agenda is particularly significant in terms of water and the environment.
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